Stroke Patients in Grampian to Benefit From Life-changing Thrombectomy Service 29 October 2021 On World Stroke Day (Friday 29th October), charity campaigners celebrate another step closer to a National Thrombectomy Service in Scotland Stroke patients admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary will now be able to benefit from the pilot thrombectomy service which is being delivered at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. In November 2020, NHS Tayside took the first step towards a national thrombectomy service by establishing a pilot service, with the aim of providing a 24/7 service by April 2023. Thrombectomy is a highly specialised procedure that involves physically removing the blood clot in the brain which has caused a severe stroke. It’s not suitable for everyone who has a stroke, but it can help reduce disability and dependency. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, who campaigned heavily to see a thrombectomy service established throughout the country, has welcomed the extension of the service to help stroke survivors in Grampian. A funded partnership with the Scottish Government has also enabled Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to roll out a training programme across the country called STAT+. The programme delivers vital training to nurses who may have the opportunity in their role to be involved in the life saving delivery of Thrombectomy. They have delivered the training in many Health Boards including Tayside and Lothian, helping to get the pilots successfully set-up and running. Jane-Claire Judson, Chief Executive at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said: “It is fantastic to see thrombectomy being made available to people across Grampian. “Everyone in Scotland should have access to the best possible care following a stroke and we will continue to campaign until this life-changing treatment, which would benefit at least 600 people each year, is available across the country.” Lead clinician at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary John Reid said: “We are delighted patients in Grampian will be able to benefit from this pilot. “Evidence shows this treatment can vastly improve outcomes for certain stroke suffers and that has already been shown to be the case in many of those who have received the care at Ninewells. “We’d like to thank our colleagues in Tayside for involving us and our patients in this pilot.” Everyone in Scotland should have access to the best possible care following a stroke and we will continue to campaign until this life-changing treatment, which would benefit at least 600 people each year, is available across the country. Fiona Clark, 33, of Dundee, works in the Acute Stroke Unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. She talks about her motivation for joining the unit and her experience of how thrombolysis and thrombectomy helps stroke patients. Qualifying as a nurse in the middle of a pandemic has been more than a learning experience for Fiona. Thrown in at the deep end in a covid ward at the beginning of the pandemic, Fiona emerged from the other side more resilient and determined to do her very best as a nurse. That’s why she had no hesitation when she was offered a starting role in the recently remodelled Acute Stroke Unit at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital. As part of Fiona’s training in the Acute Stroke Unit, she attended weekly Link up and Learn sessions, run by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland in partnership with Stroke Improvement Programme, to help her development as a stroke nurse. These sessions give participants the benefits of learning from the experience of multi-disciplinary teams across Scottish health boards. The 33-year-old, who lives in Dundee with wife Jane and daughter Emily, says: “I had never considered working in stroke until I was offered the opportunity. I had never even heard of thrombolysis, which sounded incredible. Then I heard about thrombectomy and that this was going to be an acute stroke unit offering incredible treatments to stroke patients. “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I have learned so much, from how to do neuro observations to the different protocols and pathways for stroke. I have learned how much a patient depends on the nurses to advocate. “It is an incredible honour to work in stroke because you have huge responsibility to get it right for your patient. When we attend A&E, we are the specialist nurses and work hand in hand with the medical team to provide high-quality stroke care in a timely manner because time is so critical in stroke treatment.” Help shape our future campaigns. We want to hear from you about what our future campaigns should focus on. Please take a few minutes to fill out our short survey. Take Survey